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Europe Today: Serbia’s students topple Vučić as Israel braces for crucial election
Serbia's student-led movement has secured a historic parliamentary election victory, ending President Aleksandar Vučić's political dominance. Meanwhile, Israel prepares for a crucial election, France faces another wave of mass protests, and Brazil's President Lula wins a fourth term in office.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/10/26/europe-today-serbias-students-topple-vucic-as-israel-braces-for-crucial-election
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Serbia's student-led movement has secured a historic parliamentary election victory, ending President Aleksandar Vučić's political dominance. Meanwhile, Israel prepares for a crucial election, France faces another wave of mass protests, and Brazil's President Lula wins a fourth term in office.
READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/10/26/europe-today-serbias-students-topple-vucic-as-israel-braces-for-crucial-election
Subscribe to our channel. Euronews is available on Dailymotion in 12 languages
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00:13good morning it's monday october 26th you're watching euronews and this is europe today
00:21our top stories political earthquake in serbia the student list has won the country's parliamentary
00:28election marking a dramatic breakthrough for a movement that emerged from months of student
00:34protests in a brief statement to the nation outgoing president alexander vucic conceded defeat
00:40more than 1 300 people were arrested across france over the weekend as another wave of mass
00:47protests swept the country but this time authorities had significantly ramped up security operations
00:54protests over a range of issues also took place in other countries such as italy spain and portugal
01:00a divided israel prepares to go to the polls tomorrow deciding over the direction of the country
01:07and the political future of benjamin netanyahu the prime minister has defined and dominated
01:13israel's politics for three decades will he defy the odds again we'll hear from former prime minister
01:20ehud olmer and brazil's left-wing president lula wins a fourth term in office defeating his right-wing
01:28challenger flavio bolsonaro the 80 year old took just under 52 percent in the run-off vote bolsonaro
01:36who won the first round called the result inexplicable and refused to concede welcome to the program i'm
01:44stefan grober but first to the stunning outcome of the parliamentary election in serbia the vote
01:50was seen as a referendum on president alexander vucic's political dominance and the system that had been
01:57in place in serbia for more than a decade the vote ended with a crushing defeat for him and a
02:03spectacular
02:04breakthrough for a movement that had rapidly transformed itself into the country's most important political
02:10force in the new parliament in belgrade the student list will have an absolute majority
02:16last night the movement spokesman radimir sajic described the victory as the beginning
02:22of a new era to discuss the outcome of the election let's bring in bojan vranic a political
02:28science professor at the university of belgrade good morning to you good morning and thank you for
02:35having me so vucic controlled much of the political machinery enjoyed extensive media influence and had
02:43a formidable party organization how did the grassroots student movement manage to overcome all that
02:52yeah so this is an extraordinary um a historical moment in serbian parliamentary democracy because
02:59this completely changes the political landscape of the country it's not just a victory over um hybrid
03:07regimes leader it's it's it is a victory over uh existing uh parliamentary opposition it is uh bringing in a
03:17new
03:17fresh political elite new dynamics and it all uh began from as you said this grassroots movement who simply
03:26changed the the rules of the game they they uh stopped being this formal um hierarchy party organization with this
03:37uh old boring uh
03:39campaign uh uh managing so they they started a new form of campaign uh more horizontal more
03:47participative they included uh p they gave people a way how to participate for example uh to donate to
03:56to be silenced, to be loud, to hung with their cars, to support in many other ways.
04:05And this constant mobilization led to historical turnout that was bigger than 5th October.
04:15Bojan, the student list is projected to win between 135 and 140 seats in the 250-seat parliament.
04:21But who actually holds power in this movement? And who will become Serbia's next prime minister?
04:27It is too soon to tell. There are a few names that emerge.
04:33One you just mentioned, Radomir Sajcic.
04:36However, student list, because, as you said, of the extent media pressure that Vucic was exercising,
04:43student movement had these tactics that the person who was always in front was more like a punching bag
04:52and a shield to the student movement than an actual leader.
04:58So we don't really know who will be the actual leader.
05:01But I saw that, I heard that the procedures are such that we will soon see.
05:08Yeah. On that note, protesting against the government is one thing.
05:14Running a country is quite another. Are these political newcomers prepared to govern?
05:20They told us, last night, that they are absolutely prepared.
05:25Judging by their program, we cannot expect any radical and sudden changes.
05:31And this is very much in line with the traditional conservative Serbian voters.
05:37So Serbian voters does not like a radical change.
05:40So they will vote for someone who will reduce continuity, but with some improvements.
05:46And this is something that we can expect in a short-term period.
05:52I'd like to ask you about the European ramifications of this election.
05:57Now, EU Council President António Costa issued the following statement.
06:01He said, and I quote,
06:03We stand ready to support reforms on the rule of law, media freedom,
06:08the fight against corruption and strong democratic institutions,
06:11and to work together to build Serbia's future in the European Union.
06:16So does this election bring Serbia significantly closer to EU membership,
06:21or are we overestimating the pro-European credentials of the student movement?
06:29My analysis showed that, so far, the student movement has been very conservative
06:35when it comes to the European Union.
06:38They aim to, firstly, improve the system within,
06:43and then once they, as they said, become a credible partner in a negotiation,
06:48an equal negotiation process, then the European Union will be their partner.
06:56So, for now, I would not expect, I would not be overly enthusiastic
07:02that something, that a miracle breakthrough in European integration will occur.
07:08Okay. Serbia has long tried to balance its relations with Brussels, Moscow, and Beijing.
07:15Will the new leadership fundamentally change Serbia's foreign policy,
07:18particularly in relationship with Russia and its position on Kosovo?
07:22So, if you look at the program, no.
07:25So, it will remain as it was.
07:28If you look at the members of the student list, where it's very heterogenic.
07:35So, there are some individuals, very influential individuals,
07:39who are very pro-European, that want a complete regional reconfiguration
07:47of the interstate relations.
07:50And then again, there are those who want even more sovereignty
07:56in the Serbian politics.
07:59Which current will win?
08:00It is to be seen in the following months.
08:04All right, Bojan Vranic, political scientist at the University of Belgrade.
08:09Thank you so much for your insights this morning.
08:12Israel is heading into a crucial election as well,
08:15with violence flaring in the occupied West Bank
08:18and the country deeply divided over its future.
08:21A major Israeli military operation over the weekend
08:24has raised tensions even further,
08:26as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu battles for political survival.
08:31After three years of war, is Israel ready for a change of leadership?
08:36And would that bring a change of direction?
08:38Joining me now is former Israeli Prime Minister
08:41and outspoken Netanyahu critic Ehud Olmert.
08:45Good morning, sir. Thanks for coming on the show.
08:48Good morning.
08:49So, you have been one of Benjamin Netanyahu's fiercest critics.
08:53Is this election really about Israel's future
08:56or simply about getting rid of Netanyahu?
09:01No, it's about Israel's future
09:03and I'd say the nature and the soul of Israel.
09:08Is Israel a democracy that respects basic fundamental human values,
09:17moderation, compassion, respect for others,
09:21or Israel is a messianic, extreme, fundamentalist, radical country
09:28that is dominated by a group of thugs like Ben-Vert, Smotrich, and Netanyahu.
09:37So, this is, of course, an inevitable battle about the future of Israel,
09:46but the future of Israel is the future of Netanyahu
09:50may become the disaster of the state of Israel.
09:53And that's why it is so widely.
09:59Netanyahu has survived political crises,
10:03corruption allegations, and three years of war.
10:05What makes you believe Israeli voters are finally ready to turn the page?
10:11Well, you know, I don't know much except for what I see in the polls
10:15that are run on a daily basis by all the different channels in Israel.
10:19And in all the different polls, in all the different channels,
10:22for a long period of time,
10:24there was not one single poll
10:27which gave the bloc of Netanyahu
10:30more than 51 seats.
10:33In most cases, they got less than 50,
10:37which means that they are short of at least 10 to 11 seats
10:40in order to be able to form a coalition.
10:42So, I think it's moving rapidly into the point
10:45where the bloc of change,
10:49led by General Eisenhower,
10:51the former chief of staff of the Israeli army,
10:54was an entirely different person from Netanyahu,
10:56the opposite of Netanyahu.
10:58Everything bad about Netanyahu
11:01is almost everything good about Eisenhower.
11:05He's not tramboyant.
11:07He's not outspoken.
11:10He's a very modest, humble,
11:13reserved, restrained, responsible person.
11:17And I think that people are ready for him.
11:22If I may follow up on this,
11:24you have publicly backed Gadi Eisenkot,
11:28who's a former military chief.
11:30Why should Israelis trust another former general
11:33to lead the country?
11:34And what would he do actually differently?
11:39Considering the history of the State of Israel,
11:42and the fact that throughout our history,
11:46from the proclamation of the State of Israel going back to 1948,
11:50we always had to fight.
11:52In 1948, in 56, in 67, in 73,
11:56in between the big wars, small battles,
11:59and, of course, the war in Lebanon once and twice,
12:03and in Gaza, and so on and so forth.
12:04So, of course,
12:06the centrality of the battle for life,
12:09which has characterized the history of the State of Israel,
12:12made the generals and former generals of the army,
12:16particularly generals which were associated
12:18with military victories,
12:22very dominant figures in the public discourse
12:25in the State of Israel.
12:27Gadi Eisenkot is the most unlikely president
12:31or prime minister in the State of Israel.
12:35The reason he is unlikely is because,
12:37although he is a former chief of staff of the Israeli army,
12:40in person, in the nature of the men,
12:43in the manner in which he handles himself as a human being,
12:48is the opposite of Netanyahu.
12:49And I think that one of the reasons
12:51why he has become so popular
12:53is precisely because of this.
12:56Where Netanyahu is pompous
12:58with lots of militaristic and chubinistic rhetoric,
13:03Gadi Eisenkot is the opposite.
13:05While Netanyahu is creating
13:08an atmosphere of hysteria and fear,
13:14Eisenkot creates an atmosphere
13:16of restraint, of responsibility,
13:19of moderation,
13:20and of open mind about all the different options.
13:24So I think that this has made him
13:26the fact that he is the opposite of Netanyahu,
13:29that he is not arrogant,
13:31that he is reserved,
13:32that he is restrained.
13:34And I think that the policies
13:36are not going to be 180 degrees different
13:39from Netanyahu.
13:40It will take time.
13:41Israel has to pull out from the trauma,
13:44which, of course,
13:47devastated us on the 7th of October.
13:50But I think that we are on the way
13:52to change the atmosphere,
13:54to change the attitude,
13:55and to become normal again,
13:57which we are not at the present time.
13:59And, sir, you mentioned the polls.
14:01Now, the polls also suggest
14:03a deeply divided electorate
14:05and no guaranteed parliamentary majority.
14:08Could Israel end up with political paralysis,
14:11and who would be the prime beneficiary
14:13of such chaos?
14:15Look, there is,
14:18in terms of numbers,
14:20in terms of figures,
14:21there is an option of a stalemate
14:24where there will be a larger block for change,
14:30but insufficient in terms of the absolute majority numbers,
14:34which we need.
14:36So, that will depend on whether the block of change
14:40will agree to cooperate with our parties,
14:43which will provide the absolute majority.
14:46There is a growing understanding
14:49and awareness and desire
14:51amongst many Israelis
14:52that the Arab parties should be part of government.
14:55They are part of the Israeli system.
14:56They are part of the Israeli citizens.
14:58They are just as good as everyone else,
15:01and they are loyal to the country,
15:02and there is no reason.
15:03But, of course,
15:04the events with the Palestinians
15:06and the military and violent confrontation
15:09and the massacre of Israelis
15:11by the Hamas at the time,
15:14it created a certain mood of restraint
15:17and of caution
15:19about a partnership with Palestinians.
15:22That has to change.
15:23I think that the only person
15:25that can change it,
15:26hopefully, after the elections,
15:29will be Gadi Eisenhower,
15:30but it remains to be seen.
15:33And that may change the tide
15:35and provide the opposition
15:37with enough numbers
15:39to be able to form government.
15:41All right.
15:42Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert,
15:44thank you so much, sir,
15:46for your time this morning.
15:47I really appreciate it.
15:49France has seen a fresh wave of protests
15:52this weekend
15:52following last week's scenes
15:54of looting and violence.
15:56Authorities deployed
15:57a major security operation,
15:59but clashes still broke out in Paris
16:01as demonstrators accused the government
16:03of restricting their right to protest.
16:06Meanwhile, thousands took to the streets
16:08against the far-right national rally
16:10as Marine Le Pen launched her presidential bid.
16:14To bring a closer view
16:15of what was happening
16:16over the weekend in France,
16:18we're joined now
16:18by our French correspondent,
16:20Estelle Nielsen-Julien.
16:22Good morning, Estelle.
16:23So, you were on the ground this weekend.
16:27Did the security apparatus
16:29deployed by the government
16:30successfully keep the situation
16:32under control this time?
16:36Good morning, Stefan.
16:38Well, yes, there were some clashes
16:40which occurred this weekend
16:41across the country,
16:42but overall,
16:43the demonstrations,
16:45protests were peaceful,
16:46and there was nothing like
16:47the scenes of violence
16:49and looting
16:49that we saw
16:50the previous weekend.
16:51As you mentioned,
16:52a major security operation
16:54was deployed,
16:55more than 70,000 police officers
16:57and the military
16:58outside strategic sites,
17:00including the Élysée
17:02and Matignon.
17:03The government also implemented
17:05bans on protests
17:07in a number of French cities,
17:09and here in Paris,
17:10they changed the protest route
17:12at the last minute,
17:13meaning that protesters
17:14were not allowed
17:15to march from the centre of Paris,
17:17from the Place de la Bastille,
17:18but instead had to demonstrate
17:20from the outskirts of the city.
17:23Lots of protesters I spoke to
17:25and trade unions
17:26were angry about this decision
17:27because they told me
17:28that they believed
17:29that their right to protest
17:30was being infringed upon.
17:32As I mentioned,
17:34there were some clashes
17:35in Paris,
17:36in the eastern outskirts
17:37of the city.
17:38According to the government,
17:40they say that agitators
17:41arrived at the end
17:43of the march
17:44to cause chaos.
17:47Some individuals
17:48threw glass bottles,
17:50bricks at the police,
17:51and the police responded
17:52with tear gas
17:53and water cannons.
17:55As for what's next,
17:57trade unions and protesters
17:58I spoke to
17:59are very much determined
18:01to keep going
18:02with the movement.
18:03Today,
18:04the Prime Minister
18:05will meet
18:05with student
18:07secondary school unions
18:08and is expected
18:10to announce
18:11a range of measures.
18:12So we will see
18:12today what's the outcome
18:14from all of this.
18:15Chef Anne.
18:16And, Estelle,
18:18another major event
18:18took place this weekend.
18:20The National Rally Party
18:21held its conference
18:22in the city of Orléans.
18:23What were the main takeaways?
18:27Yes, so thousands of people,
18:29as you say,
18:29attended this conference
18:31in Orléans.
18:32On Saturday,
18:32Jardin Bardella
18:33was re-elected
18:34as the president
18:35of the National Rally Party
18:36with 99% of the vote.
18:38On Sunday,
18:39Marine Le Pen
18:39launched officially
18:41her presidential bid.
18:42In terms of key topics,
18:44there was a big,
18:45big focus on security,
18:47and this was also
18:48in the context
18:48of the violence
18:49and looting
18:50which occurred
18:51last weekend.
18:52So Marine Le Pen
18:53emphasized the importance
18:54of law and order,
18:56tougher immigration laws.
18:58She also said
18:59that French nationality
19:00is something
19:01which should be earned,
19:03and also that
19:03foreigners
19:04with criminal records
19:06should be deported
19:07from France.
19:08So these were
19:09some of the key topics,
19:11and just to remind
19:11our views,
19:12at present,
19:13Marine Le Pen
19:14is polling around 33%,
19:15so she is coming out
19:17first in the polls
19:18ahead of France's
19:19presidential elections
19:20next spring.
19:22Stéphane.
19:23All right.
19:23Estelle Nilsson,
19:24Julia,
19:25live from Paris.
19:26Thank you so much.
19:27And that does it
19:28for us today.
19:31I'm Stéphane Grobe,
19:32and I'll see you tomorrow.
19:40I'm Stéphane Grobe.